Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Sound Cards > Connecting nforce 2 onboard audio

Connecting nforce 2 onboard audio

Forum CPU & Components : Sound Cards - Connecting nforce 2 onboard audio

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jason001   03-02-2003 at 02:08:12 AM

I know a lot of people say the nForce 2 motherboard audio is better than the Sound Blaster Live!, now I have a few questions. I have an Asus A7N8X motherboard with the built in audio and an external Cambridge Soundworks 5.1 amplifier with 5 speaks + 1 sub.

1) My Soundblaster Live had front and rear outputs through a DIN connector that I hookup to my speaker setup, my onboard audio only has stereo output. My understanding is the onboard audio can do 5.1, but if I can only get 2 channels out, what's the good? I play games where 4 channel audio is used, and I don't want to go back to 2 channel. How can I get the extra channels out? Do I need to buy the silly S/PDIF connector?

2) Assuming I use the S/PDIF external connector for the MB, my understanding is that it can output 5.1, but the onboard audio can't encode in that format, it can just pass it along from a 5.1 source. Does this mean my games that support 4 channel (front and rear, left and right) won't work? Is there any way to connect this to work?

3) Connecting to my speakers and setting up the audio on the computer correctly has always been a pain IMHO. Do I have to change the audio to 4 speaker whenever I want to play a game that uses 4 channels, and consequently have to change my speaker system to the 4 channel mode? I thought this would be automatic. Does anyone know how to correctly set up one of these silly things? lol.

Thanks,
Jason

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umheint0   03-05-2003 at 08:11:45 AM
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I need some more details. The regular A7N8X only has two channel. Only the deluxe has 5.1. Also, what connectors do your CS speakers have?

The Deluxe will support full 5.1 imaging, including 4.1, 2.1, etc.... down the line. The regular only has 2-channel.

If you want to listen to music in 2-channel, and play games in 4-channel, you will have to keep switching back and forth. There is no automatic settings. You can keep your music in 4-channel, but it will sound pretty weak, with echoing and imaging issues. Some can live with this, I can't.

Need more help, then feel free to reply.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
MSI GF3 Ti500 w/64MB DDR
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio

My computer is bigger than your computer....

Reply to umheint0
elzt   03-05-2003 at 08:55:31 AM
- 0 +

For 2), the decoding will be done by an external 5.1 decoder (eg. an AV Hifi receiver or a 5.1 speaker system with built-in decoder). Just connect the S/PDIF connector on your sound card with the digital input of your Hifi system using either a optical or coaxial cable.

Reply to elzt
jason001   03-05-2003 at 11:01:30 PM
- 0 +

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that they had the same audio built in, just not the same connectors.

So, even if I get the SPDIF in/out hooked up to the motherboard, that won't supply 4 channel output? i.e. does only the Deluxe output 4+ channels on the SPDIF, or will the regular one do it to if you hookup the SPDIF out?

Thanks,
Jason

Reply to jason001
umheint0   03-06-2003 at 06:46:51 AM
- 0 +

The regular one does not have 4-channel output, only 2. It may split via the SPDIF connector, but don't count on it. This may be something you have to configure in windows, but chances are the connector won't even send the signal to your rear speakers. You would have to manually split the connector and create parallel channels, but that won't be easy.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
MSI GF3 Ti500 w/64MB DDR
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio

My computer is bigger than your computer....

Reply to umheint0
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